A design for tank fabricating equipment and system comprises a frame supporting opposing arms for supporting one or more tank shells. The opposing arms pivotally engage opposing sides of the tank shells to force them into a circular cross-sectional shape. The arms are provided with rollers for aligning the tank shell with adjacent components during fabrication. In some embodiments, the rollers are provided with a circumferential channel to accommodate welding seams and to ensure alignment of butt joints.

A robotic welder includes one or more motors, one or more articulating arms connected to the one or more motors, one or more sensors configured to image a wear plate for determining welding locations for welding the wear plate to a blade of a machine, and an orbital welder to rotate a torch head for welding the wear plate to the blade.

A system for manufacturing boiler tubes includes a first spindle for receiving a first tube having a first weld preparation, a second spindle for receiving a second tube having a second weld preparation, the first spindle and the second spindle being rotatable synchronously, and a welding device having a first weld head. The welding device is configured to automatically weld the first tube to the second tube according to a control routine stored in memory to produce a boiler tube.

A design for tank fabricating equipment and system comprises a frame supporting opposing arms for supporting one or more tank shells. The opposing arms pivotally engage opposing sides of the tank shells to force them into a circular cross-sectional shape. The arms are provided with rollers for aligning the tank shell with adjacent components during fabrication. In some embodiments, the rollers are provided with a circumferential channel to accommodate welding seams and to ensure alignment of butt joints.

A cracked gas cooling heat exchanger includes a tube connection between an uncooled tube (1) and a cooled tube (2), having a cooled inner tube (3) enclosed by a jacket tube (4), with a tube intermediate space (5) for flowing cooling medium. A gas inlet header (11) has a GI tube inner part (12) and a GI tube outer part (13) and a cooling space (14) with an insulating layer (15). The GI tube outer part connects via a water chamber (6) to the jacket tube. The GI tube inner part faces the inner tube and is connected on a face (8) of the water chamber. A weld backing ring (16), between an end face (9) of the cooling space and a bottom face (8) of the water chamber, is in the insulating layer of the cooling space, arranged in a turn-out/groove (17) in the insulating layer.

The automatic welding method includes: carrying a pipe on which a true circle weld groove and settling the pipe at a fit-up position in the welding station and carrying a hollow connection member on which a true circle weld groove is formed to a position near the fit-up position in the welding station by using the material transport robot; measuring the alignment state of the hollow connection member with respect to the fit-up position by using a gap sensor robot, and according to the results, moving the position of the hollow connection member to align the weld groove of the pipe with the weld groove of the hollow connection member; performing a root welding on the aligned weld grooves by using a GT welding robot; and performing a filling and cap welding on the aligned weld grooves by using a GM welding robot to manufacture a 2D spool.

A process is provided for welding an assembly of a first tubular component and a second tubular component, the first and second tubular components having first and second cylindrical portions, respectively. The process uses a pressing jig, a pressing tool, a welding jig and a welding head. The process includes: positioning the first tubular component with respect to the pressing jig; clamping the first tubular component against the pressing jig; freely fitting the second cylindrical portion into the first cylindrical portion, the two cylindrical portions being substantially coaxial; placing the second component with respect to the first cylindrical portion and the pressing jig; tightening the second tubular component against the pressing jig; aligning the two fitted cylindrical portions with the pressing tool; and pressing by plastic deformation the first and second cylindrical portions. The first and second pressed tubular components form a rigid assembly, with the two fitted and pressed cylindrical portions defining a fitting and a joint. Additional steps include: positioning the rigid assembly with respect to the welding jig; clamping the rigid assembly against the welding jig; and welding by positioning and orienting the welding head repeatably with respect to the fitting and the joint, where the rigid assembly is positioned with respect to the welding jig along one or more surfaces belonging exclusively to the first component in the pressed state.

A system for manufacturing a drive shaft assembly comprises a welding apparatus configured to weld a tube to an end fitting to form the drive shaft assembly having an annular weld. A transport apparatus is configured to transport the drive shaft assembly away from the welding apparatus. A knurling apparatus receives the drive shaft assembly from the transport apparatus. The knurling apparatus is configured to knurl the weld of the drive shaft assembly. The knurling apparatus includes a pair of knurling plates having textured surfaces in facing relationship. One of the knurling plates is configured to move relative to the other of the knurling plates to roll the drive shaft assembly between the textured surfaces, thereby knurling the weld to improve an appearance and texture of the outer surface of the drive shaft assembly.

A portable advanced process module system includes, for example, a welding power source, an portable advanced process module, and a wire feeder. The portable advanced process module and the wire feeder are separately enclosed in suitcase style enclosures with disconnectable power and communication means between the portable advanced process module and the wire feeder. The processing unit includes power electronics to enable advanced weld processes that can be delivered to the wire feeder and a welding work piece. The portable advanced process module is powered by a DC bus that can be supplied by a welding power source. Connecting the portable advanced process module between the welding power source and the wire feeder enables advanced welding processes to be accomplished at great distances from the main welding power source. Separating the power electronics into the portable advanced process module and maintaining a standard suitcase wire feeder form factor keeps the welding equipment used in the working area envelope small, light, and portable.

A container system for radioactive waste and method for using the same is provided. The system includes a canister configured for holding radioactive waste and a lid system. In one embodiment, the lid system comprises a two-part lid assembly including a confinement lid and a shielded lifting lid. The confinement lid is detachably mounted to the confinement lid. In use, the lifting lid supports the confinement lid for lifting and placement on the canister. The lifting lid further shields operators while the confinement lid is mounted to the canister. Thereafter, the lifting lid is removed and may be reused for confinement lid mountings on other canisters. In one embodiment, the confinement lid is bolted to the canister. The canister may be disposed in a protective overpack for transport and storage.